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This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Redskins. Few in their right mind, including myself, dared to predict playoffs for a team that had won seven games over the past two seasons and would be led by an erratic quarterback.

But these Redskins fooled us all, didn’t they?

A 38-24 win over the Eagles Saturday night in Philly clinched the Redskins’ first NFC East title since 2012. It also marked the first time since 1999 that they will enter the final week of the regular season with a playoff berth secured. The Eagles and Giants are out of the picture.

Now 8-7 with a game left at Dallas next Sunday, the over-achieving unit will host a first-round playoff game against either the Vikings (10-5), Packers (10-5) or Seahawks (9-6).

In an ecstatic post-game locker room, the victorious Redskins donned baseball caps that said “NFC East Champions” and discussed how it felt to reach such lofty heights and exceed the expectations of so many.

“It feels great,” said linebacker Mason Foster, who signed as a free agent in late September. “Once I got here, I knew we had a lot of talent, and we were going to put it together. We had the right pieces, it would just take a little bit of time to get things right. Coach (Jay) Gruden, (defensive coordinator) Joe Barry, we all put it together. No matter what happened, injuries, guys kept working, and we made it happen.”

Mason, who took over as the starter for an injured Perry Riley three weeks ago against the Cowboys, was one of the “no names” on a defense that, while not Carolina-esque, was stingy enough to help fuel the team’s resurgence. He was joined by other unheralded players such as linebacker Will Compton, cornerback Will Blackmon and Quinton Dunbar, a rookie free agent converted from receiver to cornerback in training camp.

A late signing this season, 10th-year running back Pierre Thomas, had an amazing game against the Eagles with seven catches for 67 yards and four rushes for 22 more.

Those guys combined with existing talent such as superstar tight end Jordan Reed and solid veteran free agent signings like defensive linemen Terrance Knighton and Ricky Jean Francois, plus draft picks who made major contributions in guard Brandon Scherff, defensive end Preston Smith (three sacks and a force fumble against the Eagles), wide receiver Jamison Crowder and safety Kyshoen Jarrett, to form a team with a wonderful chemistry.

This is where Scot McCloughan comes in. He took over as the Redskins’ general manager nearly a year ago after leaving his imprint on championship organizations in San Francisco and Seattle, where the man with a keen eye for talent stockpiled it in droves. He appears to have the Redskins headed in a championship direction, too, if not this season then in the coming years.

Francois voiced respect for McCloughan, whose acquisition is probably the best decision owner Dan Snyder has made since buying the team in 1999. McCloughan has essentially changed the culture of the organization.

“That man did a lot in his career, not only here, not only in Seattle, not only in San Francisco,” Francois said. “Anywhere that man goes, he puts teams together. We got to keep this guy around because this is just the tip of the iceberg. Next year, he’s going to add more guys to the piece of the puzzle. All it’s going to do is get stronger and stronger, and this team is going to get scarier and scarier.”

Then there’s Kirk Cousins, who has elevated his game to become one of the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL. He had another excellent showing against the Eagles, throwing four touchdown passes for a season-high 365 yards with no interceptions and a 120.3 passer rating. It was his fifth straight game with a rating of 100 or more.

Cousins has thrown a remarkable 20 touchdown passes and three interceptions in the past nine games. With 3,990 passing yards, he’s on the cusp of setting the team’s single-season mark of 4,105 set by Jay Schroeder in 1986.

Think back to when Gruden tapped Cousins over RGIII to be the Redskins’ starter prior to the season-opener, an incredibly gutsy move if there ever was one. Nobody could have imagined that a fourth-year quarterback who had struggled to read defenses and threw too many interceptions, some at the most inopportune times, would progress this fast. But Cousins has guaranteed himself a big pay-day once this season is over. He also stabilized Gruden’s job.

“Kirk Cousins has a swagger about himself now,” Francois said. “That was the same guy they said wasn’t going to be a franchise quarterback. It’s funny how he put his hat on out here, but everybody said he wasn’t a franchise quarterback, he’s not a good quarterback. It shocks me to say that’s not a good quarterback. Give the man time to throw and see what he develops into. He developed into an NFC East champion as a quarterback.”

The Redskins, winners of three in a row, have gotten hot at just at the right time. This is when NFL teams want to find their groove so they can carry a lot of momentum into the playoffs.

That’s why the Redskins should play for the win and not take Dallas lightly in the season-finale. After all, who wants to be swept this season by the despised Cowboys?

“I understand I got to enjoy this, but I want Dallas,” Francois said. “We got to think about the Dallas game. That’s a great team. That’s Jerry’s team. That’s a good team that beat us in our building."

Thank you for making it so obvious that the Redskins shouldn’t be looking elsewhere for a starting quarterback next season and beyond. It’s obvious that you are that man.

I had been holding to the belief that it would take an entire season of Cousins starting under center to make an honest assessment of him. But even with two games left, it’s clear that he’s progressed so much faster than anyone expected, proving that he can be the man to lead this team in the future.

Cousins added another excellent performance to his growing resume in Sunday’s 35-25 win over the Bills at FedExField. He completed 22 of 28 passes for 319 yards with no interceptions and tied his career-high of four touchdown passes. His passer rating of 153.7 was one-tenth of a point shy of his second perfect passer rating this season. It was his sixth 300-yard passing game of the season, a Redskins team record. He also ran 13 yards for a score, his fifth rushing touchdown this season.

The victory put the 7-7 Redskins firmly in first place in the NFC East, a game ahead of both the Giants, who fell to Carolina, and the Eagles, losers to the Cardinals. The Redskins face the Eagles on Saturday in Philly, where a win will clinch Washington's first division title since 2012. Who would have this could happen so fast?

Cousins’ teammates left no doubt afterward that they’ve witnessed an immense growth spurt in the quarterback who once looked dejected with his shoulders sagging after throwing an interception, but now exudes confidence, maturity and an ability to take command.

“It’s been great, no matter what happens he’s never getting frazzled, he’s always level-headed, center Josh LeRibeus said. “He was a little soft-spoken earlier in the year, but he’s got a voice now. He takes advantage of it, he gets us all going. He knows what to do.”

“He’s gotten better each and every start he’s had,” Golston said. “It’s his fourth year in the NFL, but as far as starts he’s still a very young player. But you can see the process of him making big-time plays and allowing his football team to win football games.”

Cousins was once known as an interception machine with a tendency to throw passes that were picked off at the most inopportune times. One would expect him to make that fateful mistake. No more. He has 11 interceptions this season, but only three over the past nine games.

He was asked about spending the first three years of his career mostly looking on while Robert Griffin III took almost all of the snaps.

“Yeah, I think any experience you have is going to make you better, whether it’s a positive experience or a negative experience,” he said. “I’ve learned from every opportunity that I’ve gotten playing – whether it went well or poorly – learning and trying to grow from it.”

Cousins has been phenomenal as the Redskins have bolted to huge leads the past two weeks. In a 24-21 win over the Bears on Dec. 13, he completed 10 of 11 passes on 80- and 93-yard touchdown drives on the Redskins’ first two possessions. Against Buffalo, he went 13 of 16 on 84-, 71- and 56-yard touchdown drives on Washington’s first three possessions. Cousins attributed the hot starts to the play calling of offensive coordinator Sean McVay, saying he does a great job of selecting the team’s best 15 to 20 plays and using them early in the game.

The big question now is whether the Redskins will sign Cousins to a big money, long-term deal before free agency begins in March, place the franchise tag on him, or let him hit the open market, where there will certainly be a high demand for his services. Cousins will have to decide if he even wants to become a free agent. Although he’s so comfortable in one system, there’s no guarantee he’ll be as successful with another team. Just look up the names Matt Flynn and Matt Cassel.

Before the Buffalo game, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason LaCanfora reported that Cousins will be back with the Redskins next season, even if they have to sign him using the franchise tag. LaCanfora attributed his report to “sources with knowledge of the situation.”

I sure hope Cousins is again wearing the Burgundy & Gold next season. Franchise quarterbacks are very hard to find. Just ask the Redskins, where there’s been a revolving door at the position. It’s been 30 years since they had their last one. His name: Joe Theismann.

Expect the unexpected when the Redskins play the Cowboys and don’t take anything for granted.

Case in point: With many believing the Redskins would push their fiercest rival further into oblivion this season while continuing their momentum toward an NFC East title, they came up short in aggravating fashion Monday night at FedExField. Dan Bailey’s 54-yard field goal in the closing seconds gave the Cowboys a 19-16 victory.

The win served as revenge for the Cowboys after the Redskins embarrassed them before a national television audience on Monday night last season, when back up quarterback Colt McCoy led his squad to a 20-17 win. This time, Cowboys backup Matt Cassel, subbing for the injured Tony Romo, pulled off the stunner.

The 5-7 Redskins are now tied with the Eagles and Giants in the NFC East, with the Cowboys breathing new life at 4-8. The Redskins are still atop the division by virtue of a tiebreaker in divisional record, but that should serve as no consolation for Monday night’s loss, which was painful to watch. The NFC East is so bad this year that a 6-10 record could be good enough to win the division.

Where do the Redskins go from here with four games remaining, all against teams now with losing records? Three of those games are on the road, where they’re 0-6 this season.

“Everyone needs to have a short-term memory,” linebacker Will Compton said in a despondent post-game locker room. “We have to move on because this is over with. We’ve just got to be hard on ourselves. At the end of the day, we control our own destiny.”

Defensive end Ricky Jean Francois: “I feel like we’re playing poker. These last four games are the highest stakes you can get. We’ve got to do everything in our power. We’ve got to play Redskin football. This is where the real test of the NFL comes in.”

For the Redskins to pass that test, they need to address some serious problems.

--- In their past two games, they’ve scored only three points off of five turnovers (two interceptions, three fumbles) that gave them possession in opposing territory. That's pitiful. They’re not going to win many games when not capitalizing on those opportunities, but hats off to an opportunistic defense for creating those chances.

--- The defense has to pressure the quarterback. Cassel was sacked only once for a loss of two yards and had a lot of time to throw behind the Cowboys' talented offensive line. He made some big throws as part of a 16 of 29, 222-yard performance. The Redskins played much of the game without two injured starters on the line, Jason Hatcher and Stephen Paea.

--- Penalties are crippling the Redskins’ ability to mount scoring drives. They were penalized nine times for 73 yards against the Cowboys, with an illegal crackback block by receiver Ryan Grant and a pass interference by receiver Pierre Garcon wiping out first downs. Tight end Jordan Reed, who has committed a slew of penalties in recent weeks, was called for pass interference, erasing a 3rd and 1 situation. Some of those calls appeared to be petty, but the players took the high road afterward. “The refs called a hell of a game,” Francois said. “We can’t get mad at them. We can only get mad at ourselves.”

--- The running needs to find a consistent footing. The Redskins rushed for only 73 yards against Dallas (2.8 average), with Matt Jones tallying a high of 49. Give credit to the Cowboys’ defense, which appeared to be very quick to the ball for most of the game, but the ability to gain yards on the ground is a must because it keeps defenses honest. In six of the last seven games, The Redskins haven't even averaged three yards a carry.

--- Special teams needs to do better. Almost automatic Dustin Hopkins missed a 43-yard field goal with the chance to put the Redskins up by six midway through the fourth quarter. Hopkins also failed to force a touchback on a kickoff that Cowboys speedster Lucky Whitehead returned 46 yards, setting up the winning score. Whitehead returned three punts for 31 yards and two kickoffs for 70, including the 46-yarder. Then there's Redskins receiver DeSean Jackson, who I'll get to in a minute.

You can’t put this loss on quarterback Kirk Cousins, who continued to make a solid case for a contract extension (22-31, 219 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT). He’s thrown no interceptions in his last six home games, the longest home-interception streak by a Redskins quarterback since at least 1960. He also became the first Redskins quarterback to open a season with a touchdown pass in 12 straight games since Sonny Jurgensen in 1967. Cousins' lofted a pretty 28-yard pass to Jackson that tied the game at 16 in the final minute.

Just prior to that, Jackson made a colossal mistake when fielding a punt with the score tied at 9 and less than two minutes left. As Redskins faithful watched in horror, he tried to find room by running backward and across field, nearly going into his own end zone before fumbling the ball, which Dallas recovered on the Redskins’ 15. Two plays later, the Cowboys scored to go up, 16-9. Redskins coach Jay Gruden exonerated him afterward, but if nothing else, this game will be remembered as the "DeSean Jackson Blunder Game."

Next week, the Redskins find themselves in Soldier Field to face the 5-7 Bears, followed by Buffalo at home and the Eagles and Cowboys again in enemy territory. Gruden, who's 9-19 in his second season and has won only one road game, talked about the urgency of piecing together back-to-back wins and winning on the road for the first time this season.

“We’ve shown flashes, good quarters, good games here and there,” he said. “The great teams, the ones that advance in the playoffs and win Super Bowls, are consistent, and we have not been. That’s something that is a challenge for us as a coaching staff and players.”

They’re tied with the Giants at 5-6 after beating the G-men at FedExField on Sunday, 20-14. The teams are also even in head-to-head competition, but the Redskins own the tiebreaker because of a better division record, 2-1 vs. 2-3.

Few would have thought this possible heading into December, a time when the Redskins are usually playing out the string as they enter an offseason of contemplation.

“It’s cool to be the leader, but I want to be the NFC East champion,” said Redskins defensive end Ricky Jean Francois. “But we’ve got a lot more work to do.

“We’re in the driver’s seat,” he added. “We’ve got the keys to the car. It’s in our hands.”

Yes, the Redskins control their destiny with five games left. That’s because they are a drastically improved squad that has emitted encouraging signs in Jay Gruden’s second season. An infusion of young talent brought in by new general manager Scot McCloughan has made a huge difference, as has the arrival of a series of unheralded veterans who have made significant contributions.

Francois and two other players in their first season sporting the Burgundy and Gold came up big to snap a five-game losing streak to the Giants. Quinton Dunbar, an undrafted rookie free agent who shifted from wide receiver to cornerback in August, made a clutch interception in the third quarter, diving in the end zone to haul in Eli Manning’s pass on third and goal from the 4. He also did an admirable job covering Giants superstar Odell Beckham Jr., while filling in for starter Chris Culliver, who is out for the season due to injuries.

Fellow cornerback Will Blackmon, a 31-year-old veteran who signed with the Redskins in mid-September, intercepted a bobbled pass. Safety Kyshoen Jarrett, drafted by the Redskins in the sixth round this year, jarred the ball loose with a wicked hit.

Those guys helped the defense put the clamps on Manning, who has made it a habit of toying with the Redskins. In addition to intercepting him three times (he’d thrown only six entering the game), the defense recorded three sacks, two by Pro Bowl linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, and consistently caused Manning to make wild throws. He finished 26 of 51 (59.4 percent) for 321 yards with two late touchdowns that erased a 20-0 Redskins lead.

Gruden praised his defense for playing with great effort.

“Our defense was flying all over the place, which I love to see,” the coach said. “We had pressure on their quarterback, we had a great hit by Kyshoen Jarrett. Dunbar had great coverage in the red zone, Perry Riley had an excellent interception. I just like the way I felt the great energy on the sidelines.”

Manning’s counterpart, Kirk Cousins, was solid. He completed 20 of 29 passes for 302 yards, with a 63-yard scoring pass on a bomb to DeSean Jackson, who is back in full stride. Cousins also reached across the goal line for a score on a fourth down play at the end of the first half, giving the Redskins a 17-0 lead. He was not picked off, although Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie dropped a pass in the first quarter that likely would have resulted in a pick-six.

Plus, Cousins had ample time to throw and was not sacked due to another solid performance by his offensive line.

Once again, Cousins and his squad played well at home, where they’re 5-1 this season. But they’re 0-5 on the road, where they seem to look lifeless. That’s been the biggest mystery about the Redskins thus far.

“Well, every game’s different,” Gruden said when asked why the team has had more success at home. We just haven’t handled the road ones very well, obviously, with the turnovers and miscues. Today, we had no turnovers, and you can see how much of an impact that has in a football game. Can’t put our hand on it but eventually we’re going to have to go on the road and win a meaningful game this year. But we’re worried about Dallas now.”

The reeling 3-8 Cowboys are up next in a Monday night game at FedEx on Dec. 7. With quarterback Tony Romo out for the season, that game is one of at least three the Redskins should win among their final five, with road games against Dallas and the chaotic Eagles being the other two. The other two games against the Bears at Soldier Field (Dec. 13) and the Bills at FedEx (Dec. 20) are toss-ups, but an 8-8 record may be all the Redskins need to win the NFC East, perhaps the worst division in football.

“It’s great to be in December and playing for something,” Cousins said. “We have a big one coming up. The nature of winning is that it just creates bigger games up ahead. We’re excited about what we did today, but there is a long ways to go and a lot of football left to be played, and we will be the first ones to tell you that.”

One of the most grisly scenes ever in sports took place on Nov. 18, 1985. Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor penetrated the backfield, leaped on the back of Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, and bulldogged him down as other Giants converged, shattering Theismann’s right leg in several places. Some 53,000 fans at RFK Stadium, plus millions of Monday night TV viewers, witnessed the horrific play, which left Theismann in agony on the field. Seldom-used backup QB Jay Schroeder stepped in and led the Skins to a 23-21 win. Meanwhile, Theismann underwent a rehabilitation process, and vowed to return for his 13th NFL season in 1986. But his right leg failed to cooperate, and he was forced to retire.

The rebuilding plan for the Washington Redskins is right on schedule. A review of their 47-14 dismantling of the Saints on Sunday validates that point.

The Redskins, who improved to 4-5, played four quality quarters, with important contributions from offense, defense and special teams. After the Saints tied the game at 14 early in the second quarter, the Redskins gradually built a lead and kept their foot on the gas pedal, dropping the reeling Saints to 4-6. That’s what good teams do.

“We said we wanted to play a full game,” rookie guard Brandon Scherff said in a giddy post-game locker room. “We’ve played some games for only one half. Had a lot of fun out there.”

They had fun while their three NFC East foes lost, leaving the division like a traffic jam: Giants (5-5), Redskins (4-5), Eagles (4-5). Can the Redskins win the division? Anything is possible in the mediocre NFC East.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins, who has faced so much scrutiny of his ability to be a quality starter in the NFL, played the game of his life against a weak Saints defense. He posted a perfect 158.3 passer rating after completing 20 of 25 for 324 yards with no interceptions and a career-high four touchdowns. It was the first perfect passer rating in the league this season with a minimum of 20 attempts.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Cousins also became the first Redskins quarterback and the 13th in NFL history to do all of these in the same game:

--- Complete 80 percent of his passes

--- Pass for 300 or more yards

--- Throw at least four touchdowns

--- Throw no interceptions

Cousins, who is likely to be named NFC Offensive Player of the Week, crafted his flawless performance with four legendary Redskin quarterbacks in the house in Sonny Jurgensen, Billy Kilmer, Joe Theismann and Doug Williams. I’m sure they were impressed.

“He was obviously very good,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. “You have a perfect passer rating, you’re going to be pretty good. But really the people around him. I think the offensive line did a good job. I think players took some short passes, turned them into big plays for him. He delivered the ball with great efficiency, with great decision making, and the results were outstanding, obviously.”

Cousins wasn’t alone. The running game returned to its dominant form from the first two weeks of the season. After averaging only 2.2 yards per carry over the past four games, the Redskins rushed for 213 yards with a whopping 6.9 average. Alfred Morris, Matt Jones and Chris Thompson rushed for 92, 56 and 54 yards, respectively. Jones also turned a screen pass into a 78-yard touchdown, showing his versatility to find open space and speed to outrace defenders. He’s a keeper.

Overall, the offense amassed 514 yards, as the Redskins eclipsed the 500-yard mark for the first time since a 37-34 loss to the Eagles in the third week last season.

The defense, for its part, shut down one of the most explosive offenses in the league. In addition to holding New Orleans scoreless for nearly three quarters, the Redskins put a stranglehold on future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees. After throwing a 60-yard scoring pass that tied the game at 14, Brees struggled the rest of the way and threw two interceptions. Safety Dashon Goldson caught one of them on a deflection and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown for a 44-14 fourth-quarter lead. The defense also stopped the Saints on a 4th and 1 on the Redskins’ 31 early in the fourth quarter.

The 33-point margin of victory was the Redskins’ largest since beating the 49ers 35, 52-17, in 2005. After the game, Gruden and his troops echoed the feeling that the team had an excellent week of practice after looking lifeless in their 27-10 loss to the Patriots.

“We practiced with great energy, great focus, and it carried over to the game,” Gruden said. “So it was great to see those guys all step up – offense, defense. Defense against a heck of a quarterback, heck of an offensive scheme over there. Of course, special teams played well, also.”

Back to Cousins. The fourth-year quarterback will be a free agent after this year. Should the Redskins re-sign him? I’m waiting until the end of this season before saying one way or another, but he made a powerful case against the Saints for being retaining.

Remember when No. 8 would throw interceptions that resulted from maddening decisions that would make your eyes roll? Get this: He hasn’t thrown an interception that was clearly his fault in more than 13 quarters. The one he tossed against the Patriots was a perfect strike that bounced off of Pierre Garcon. Clearly, the NFL game has slowed down for Cousins, who has become much more patient in the pocket and more astute at reading defenses.

“I can see the confidence growing in Kirk each week,” said tight end Jordan Reed, who caught two touchdown passes against the Saints. “He’s a great player.”

Cousins delivered in a must-win game. A loss would have meant the 2015 season was essentially over, with the 3-6 Redskins staring at 3-7 with one of the league’s best teams, Carolina, on the slate next week. A loss would have also triggered conversation about the status of Gruden, who in his second season must improve on last season’s four-win total by two or three games.

I keep stressing to those impatient that it’s going to take at least three more seasons for general manager Scot McLoughan and company to round the Redskins into a team consistently able to make a deep push in the playoffs. Just let him work his magic in acquiring talent like he did in Seattle and San Francisco, and good things are bound to happen.

The foundation that Joe Gibbs created in the 1980s to assist at-risk kids, Youth For Tomorrow, is unveiling a new commemorative book on the legendary Redskins coach.

The book, Joe Gibbs: An Enduring Legacy, is a must-have! It's a unique item because no book has ever been authored on the man who coached the Redskins to three Super Bowl victories in the 1980s and early-1990s, and will forever stand as one of the most beloved sports figures in the history of the nation's capital. The book consists of four chapters that focus on the four pillars in the life of Coach Gibbs: the Redskins, NASCAR, Youth For Tomorrow and his deep spiritual life. It consists of 204 11 x 14 full-color pages with hundreds of photos. I was happy to serve as a co-author and lead editor of the book.

Joe Gibbs: An Enduring Legacy is a one-of-a-kind limited edition that is only available with a tax-deductible donation to Youth For Tomorrow. Don't hesitate. You can pay by check or go to this page to order by credit card or PayPal: http://www.youthfortomorrow.org/LegacyBook.

Here is a breakdown on the number of copies of Joe Gibbs: An Enduring Legacy that you receive in return for donating to Youth For Tomorrow:

1 book for $1,000

2 books for $2,000

3 books for $2,700

4 books for $3,600

5 books for $4,500

6 books for $5,000

7 books for $5,600

8 books for $6,400

9 books for $7,200

10 books for $8.000

10 books + 1 Special Leather-Bound Edition for $10,000

Please click on the promotional flyer (PDF) in this post for more information.

Youth For Tomorrow is an amazing organization. It provides children and families with the opportunity to focus their lives and develop the confidence, skills, intellectual ability, spiritual insight and moral integrity resulting in positive changes that affect the child, the family, the community and the nation. Children who are referred to YFT have struggled with one or more of the following issues: foster care, poor academic performance/special needs, criminal behavior patterns, substance abuse, bullying, defiance, depression, social anxieties, family crises, mental health disorders, pregnant teens and teen mothers, domestic minor sex trafficked girls, and sexual abuse/exploited youth. Today, YFT serves boys and girls, individuals and families, and people of all ages with a continuum of serves. It's residential program based in Bristow, Va., continues to be strong and is complemented by programs serving hundreds of clients in local schools, private homes and community settings.

Thank you!!

The mission of Youth For Tomorrow is to provide children and families with the opportunity to focus their lives and develop the confidence, skills, intellectual ability, spiritual insight and moral integrity - each based on Godly principles, resulting in positive changes to the benefit of the child, the family, the community, and the nation. - See more at: http://www.youthfortomorrow.org/Overview#sthash.I1YqkzDi.dpu

Children who are referred to YFT have struggled with one or more of the following issues:

When asked for pre-season predictions on the Redskins, I would say a record in the neighborhood of 6-10 or 7-9 should be attainable.

I qualified each prediction by saying I simply wanted to see progress. I want to be convinced that the Redskins are heading in the direction of someday becoming a perennial contender in the NFL. It’s been a quarter-century since they held that distinction. Not everything has been been rosy, but we’re witnessing a team that has made positive strides through the first seven games of the 2015 campaign and is emitting signs of a more complete squad.

The Redskins are 3-4 in a shaky NFC East following Sunday’s improbable 31-30 win over Tampa Bay. That’s only one victory from last season’s total.

In beating the Bucs, they overcame a 24-0 first-half deficit to record the largest comeback in team history. I know it was only Tampa Bay, which is now 2-4, but the win saved the Redskins’ season because being 2-5 with a game at the Patriots on the slate after the bye week would likely have meant falling into a crater.

Plus, the Redskins with Kirk Cousins under center have learned how to win. In two of the three victories, the offense engineered game-winning, length-of the-field drives with the clock winding down, an 11-play, 90-yarder against the Eagles on Oct. 4 and an 11-play, 80-yarder against the Bucs. Such feats have been rare in recent seasons, but this Redskins contingent has done it twice in less than a month.

“This is who we are,” offensive tackle Morgan Moses told me in the Redskins’ jovial locker room. “This is our identity. It’s a credit to the players and coaches.”

Linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who missed most of the game after injuring his hand, had a sick feeling when he heard the Redskins trailed, 24-0.

“When I came out of the locker room, I was thinking this is the worst way to go into the bye week,” Kerrigan said. “For us to come back like that, it’s awesome.”

Morgan pointed out that the game-winning drive against the Eagles gave the offense confidence that it could be done again. It also helped to have a hot hand in Cousins. The Redskins’ quarterback had a terrible start to the game. He was sloppy and off target, and his fumble returned for a touchdown put the Redskins in a 24-0 hole midway through the second quarter.

But he found his rhythm. After running for a touchdown before halftime and throwing 3-yard scoring passes to receiver Ryan Grant and tight end Jordan Reed in the third quarter, he had the Redskins back in the game. On the final 80-yard drive and facing a 30-24 deficit, “Captain Kirk” turned “Captain Comeback” completed 9 of 11 passes, including a 6-yarder to Reed with 25 seconds left. Dustin Hopkins’ conversion accounted for the one-point margin.

Cousins ended up playing the best game of his career. He threw a career-high 33 completions, tying Jason Campbell’s single-game team record, with three TD throws, 317 passing yards with a 124.7 quarterback rating, one of the highest of his career. Just as importantly, he threw no interceptions. In fact, he has none in the Redskins’ three wins this season, with two in each of the four losses.

Cousins, who also led a game-tying drive at the end of regulation against the Falcons two weeks ago, shouldn’t be immortalized when he wins and shouldn’t be lynched with he loses. But you have to see that his game has evolved for the better. He just has to shed his inconsistencies, such as throwing interceptions at inopportune times.

“Getting a win is a great feeling,” said Cousins, who’s completing nearly 70 percent of his passes. “You don’t want to sit on a loss in a bye week. That’s always tough. It was a step in the right direction. We’re going to need a lot more than three wins this year, but it was a good step, and we just have to keep learning and keep growing. There were certainly a number of plays that we want to learn from and improve upon.”

Cousins is a different quarterback when he has Reed, who returned after missing two games due to a concussion, both losses. The 6-2, 243-pound Reed, a mismatch for any defense because of his speed and size, posted career-highs in catches (11) and touchdowns (two) against the Bucs. Cousins is at his best when using Reed as his security blanket, especially in the red zone. It will be a tremendous bonus if the oft-injured tight end can stay healthy for the rest of the season.

The Redskins beat the Bucs on Homecoming Day, when the team honors its alumni. One former Redskins luminary, original Hog Jeff Bostic, was inducted into the Ring of Fame at FedExField at halftime.

Redskins coach Jay Gruden said it was “huge” to pull off the biggest comeback in franchise history in front of many players who once wore the Burgundy and Gold.

“I talked to our team last night about the alumni being here, and these guys paved the way for us being here, as athletes and as professional football players for the Washington Redskins,” Gruden said. “We want to make them proud and show them that all the work that they put into this organization did not go for naught. To come back and battle back and give them something to cheer about on their alumni weekend is an awesome feeling.”

It’s a good thing the Redskins woke up when they did. Not only would their season have been over – in October no less – but the calls for Robert Griffin III or Colt McCoy to replace Cousins would have intensified, as would speculation about Gruden’s job security in D.C.

So what are we to make of Kirk Cousins after four games this season? He’s completed 68.6 percent of his passes (105 of 153) for 1,005 yards, with four touchdown passes, four interceptions and a quarterback rating is 84.5. Those are very good numbers.

But Coach Jay Gruden didn’t want to see only impressive stats when he elevated Cousins to the starting role before the season-opener. He also hoped that the fourth-year man would show steady progress toward becoming a solid NFL quarterback, and a quarter of the way into the 2015 season, it’s clear that Cousins' command of the game has improved markedly.

Nothing exemplifies that more than his leadership on the brilliant 15-play, 90-yard touchdown march that beat the Eagles, 23-20, on Sunday at FedExField. Simply put, Cousins was “cool as ice water on that drive,” offensive tackle Trent Williams told me.

Indeed, Cousins looked super-composed on the drive, which began with 6:10 remaining and consumed more than five and half minutes, leaving the Eagles with just seconds to mount a tying drive. He completed 6 of 10 passes as the Redskins used a nice combination of runs and passes to methodically move downfield. He converted two manageable third downs through the air, the second being his 14-yard pass to Pierre Garcon that produced a first down on the Eagles’ 16. He hit Garcon for 12 yards on the next play and two plays later on 2nd and goal from the 4 found No. 88 again for the touchdown.

On the winning score, Cousins threw a dart to Garcon as he broke to the outside along the goal line, caught the ball in between two birds and held on despite taking a hard hit.

“Kirk made a beautiful pass,” Williams said. “He showed nerves of steel, never wavered. He made the plays he had to make, the throws he had to make.”

Rookie receiver Jamison Crowder, who produced career-highs with seven catches for 62 yards, said Cousins was “calm and kept everybody else calm” on the game-winning drive.

Cousins completed a career-high 31 passes in 46 attempts for 290 yards with one touchdown and most importantly no interceptions against Philly. His 31 completions were the most by a Redskins quarterback in a single game against Philadelphia in the 161-game history of the Redskins-Eagles rivalry. He spoke earlier in the season about the process he and his teammates have been undergoing to “learn what it takes to win.” After the win over the Eagles, he expounded again on his maturation as an NFL quarterback.

“I know that final drive I wasn’t capable of doing when I came into the league as a rookie,” he said. “It takes time. It takes failures. It takes learning from experiences and a combination of … I guess it would be three-plus seasons worth of work got me to the point where I was able to make the necessary plays on that drive. It’s a process, and I’m just going to keep working and keep learning from these experiences and keep getting better.”

Beating the Eagles was significant because the Redskins are now 2-2 with an injection of self-confidence, instead of 1-3 and eyeing a dire situation against a 4-0 Falcons squad next Sunday in Atlanta.

Less than two weeks ago, questions were surfacing about how long Cousins would last as the starter before being yanked, and if Robert Griffin III would be given another shot under center or if Colt McCoy would take the reins. Cousins had just turned in an embarrassing performance in a 32-21 Thursday night loss to the Giants, when he looked lost until some window-dressing late in the game, throwing two interceptions and seriously under-throwing tight end Jordan Reed twice on potential touchdowns. The quarterback ignominiously dubbed an “interception machine” lived up to that tag during the loss in the Meadowlands.

But I said it then and will continue to say it: Kirk Cousins should remain the Redskins’ starter for the rest of the season, barring injury, in order to give the coaches an honest feel for whether he’s the team's quarterback of the future. Of the three QBs on the roster, he provides the Redskins the best chance to win now and has the greatest upside. Sure, he’s going to turn in regrettable performances at times, and we must all be prepared for that. But patience is a must and making any short-term knee-jerk decisions is in nobody’s best interest. Plus, it’s too soon to tell if the Redskins should consider picking one of the marquee quarterbacks early in next year’s draft.

Cousins believes that he’s gradually absorbing Gruden’s system.

“I think the system has allowed quarterbacks to be successful, but I know from where I see it’s taken time,” Cousins said. “It’s taken time for me to learn, for me to fail, for me to make a mistake in practice or in a game and say, `Okay, if I choose to do that this is the result.’ Last week, I felt like I missed a touchdown pass because I didn’t adjust the protection. This week, I did adjust the protection and got the touchdown.”

Gruden is pleased with what he sees in No. 8.

“He’s putting us in position to win in the fourth quarter, and we finally did that,” the second-year coach said. “Making a key drive at the end to win it, it’s great to see our quarterback and our entire team do that because we’re going to have other games that are going to be close like this.”

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Mike Richman is the man with all of the answers when it comes to Redskins history. A journalist who has covered sports for a quarter-century, Mike is the author of the two most comprehensive books on Redskins history – the Washington Redskins Football Vault and The Redskins Encyclopedia. He also served as lead editor and co-author of Joe Gibbs: An Enduring Legacy, a photo-heavy book that highlights the amazing life achievements of legendary Redskins coach Joe Gibbs. Mike's articles on Redskins history have appeared in myriad publications, and he has hosted an award-winning Redskins TV show called “Burgundy & Gold Magazine” and a podcast called "Burgundy & Gold Flashback."

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About Mike

Redskins historian and journalist Mike Richman is the author of the two most comprehensive books on Redskins history – The Redskins Encyclopedia and the Washington Redskins Football Vault: The History of a Proud Franchise. Mike also served as lead editor and co-author of Joe Gibbs: An Enduring Legacy, a photo-heavy book that reviews the amazing life achievements of legendary Redskins coach Joe Gibbs. Mike has also hosted a podcast focusing on Redskins history called "Burgundy & Gold Flashback," which brings listeners front and center with the team's tradition, and he has produced and hosted a TV show called "Burgundy & Gold Magazine." For his work on "Burgundy & Gold Magazine," Mike won first place for sports coverage in the nationally recognized 2013 Hometown Media Awards sponsored by the Alliance for Community Media. He's been interviewed extensively by print and broadcast media on Redskins...